Community Calendar

Steely Dane Live at the Dixon Historic Theatre

On Friday, September 13 at 7:30 pm, the Dixon Historic Theatre welcomes Steely Dane, a multi-award-winning tribute band bringing the sophisticated grooves and jazzy rock of Steely Dan and Donald Fagen to life. Known as multiple-time winners of the MAMA award for Best Tribute Band and Madison Magazine’s Best Cover Band, Steely Dane delivers an experience that’s both authentic and electrifying.

Comprised of fifteen of Dane County’s finest jazz and rock musicians, the band mirrors the setup of Steely Dan’s touring ensemble, complete with a four-piece horn section and three background singers. Whether performing chart-topping hits, deep cuts, or entire albums, their high-energy show keeps audiences on their feet, singing along to classics like Reelin’ in the Years, Do It Again, and more.

Event Details

Date & Time: Friday, September 13, 7:30 pm

Tickets: $25.00 – $55.00

Venue: Dixon Historic Theatre, 114 South Galena Avenue, Dixon, Illinois 61021

Phone: 815-508-6324

Website: https://www.dixontheatre.com

Don’t miss your chance to experience a show where precision meets passion, and every note is a celebration of one of rock’s most beloved catalogs.

We'll See You At The Dixon!

Enjoy our Award-Winning Farmers Market every Sunday at The Dole Mansion from 10am - 2pm!

Fantastic Variety of Farmers, Food Purveyors, Artisans, Food-Trucks, Live Music, Brunch Beverages and Complimentary childrens entertainment! Free Face Painting and Balloon Creations! Plus Roaming Characters ready to delight and take photos with! Come on out and spend a few hours with us for a Sunday Funday experience!!!

Artists' Ensemble Theater presents the musical comedy "Guys on Ice" - a.k.a. the ice fishing musical, Thursdays-Sundays, Sept. 4-21 in Rockford University's Cheek Theatre.

Meet Lloyd and Marv, two Wisconsin fisherman who are out on the lake for a day of ice fishing, beer, and deep thoughts about life, love, and the Packers. With occasional visits from Ernie the Mooch, these irrepressible, irresistible guys will win your hearts.

Lloyd’s got troubles at home. Make no mistake, he’s crazy about his wife but she wants to go out to dinner for their anniversary. And that’s fine, only… their anniversary is this Sunday… Game Day. And Lloyd has tickets to Lambeau. The wife is steamed, and Lloyd just wants to spend some time focusing on fish. Marv has romantic troubles of his own. He’s got a crush on Connie at the Pick and Save. What he hasn’t got is the nerve to ask her out. So Marv is also concentrating on fish. Fish are less confusing. Don’t miss this delightful musical treat.

Wild Blue Ukulele Orchestra will appear at the Coliseum Museum for a Sunday afternoon concert featuring a full range of ukuleles – from the soprano to the UBass! The fully orchestrated arrangements cover a variety of genres and eras and demonstrate the versatility of the instrument.

John Lindhorst is the owner of the popular little Ukulele Station America, as well as his latest dream venture, Oregon Music Garage. Throughout his forty-year career as a singer, songwriter and teacher, John has lived and taught in Illinois, Hawaii and California. For the past several years, John's sphere of artistic influence as well as business leadership has returned him to the beautiful and historic town of Oregon; the place he calls home.

Members of the DeKalb County League of Women Voters will be at the YMCA to provide information about voting in Illinois, to quick-check voter registrations, and to help new voters register. National Voter Registration Day will be observed on this date by multiple organizations across America. The League of Women Voters is a non-partisan organization whose goal is to encourage all citizens to make their voices heard at the ballot box and to encourage voting in local as well as national elections. To find out more about the DeKalb County League of Women, visit its website: https://www.lwvdkc.org and its Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/lwvdkcil

Improve your knowledge of English and become more comfortable speaking in everyday situations. Practice basic English grammar concepts in conversation, learning how to ask and answer questions, expanding your vocabulary, and learning to understand the sounds of spoken English.

This class is intended for adult participants at a low intermediate level of speaking English or higher, but all are welcome to attend.

On September 2 this class will be held in the Bilder Family Meeting Room.

This program requires registration. There will be limited seats for unregistered patrons.

For more information or to register, please contact Britta at brittak@dkpl.org or (815) 756-9568 ext. 2100.

Andrew Raeside, Feature Wall - September 1 - September 30

It hit me in an instant to become an artist at the age of 12. I remember the moment like yesterday. A sudden spiritual rebirth and everything had changed. I have been working on that project ever since.

I attended the University of Northern Iowa and received a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Painting in 1980. I worked with disabled adults for a time in Dubuque IA. Then I relocated to New England where I taught Art and Music in a residential grade school for children with emotional and behavioral disorders now called Spaulding Academy. While working there I attended Plymouth State University and received a Master of Arts in Teaching.

I worked at Spaulding Academy for 27 years until I retired and returned to Dubuque to focus again on painting and become a member of the artist community in Eastern IA. My main focus in the arts has been the Expressionist and Abstract Expressionist approaches.

​ My current objective is to use abstract art to celebrate what connects us all together. The New York School of Abstract expressionists is my primary influence. They spoke about a collective unconscious, a concept held by psychologist Carl Jung. But it is not necessary to believe in anything magical to understand that we are all connected because we all have shared experiences. And we all respond emotionally to our experiences. When we look at a painting, we respond emotionally to what we are seeing. Even if the painting is completely abstract and makes no reference to anything in the physical world. We may not be conscious of our reaction but if we are paying attention, it is there. My wish is to make paintings that celebrate these emotional interconnections between us.

David Bingaman and Bob Logsdon, Lowden Gallery, Sept 1 - Oct 31

David Bingaman:

David Bingaman began his photographic journey in 1973 when he bought a Nikon camera and then backpacked throughout Europe and North Africa. Since that time, he has developed his skill in capturing landscapes as well as other natural and portrait subjects.

David lives on the Rock River in Dixon, IL with his wife Sarah where he pursues Bald Eagles, Great Blue Herons, and amazing sunsets. He also travels extensively in the U.S. as well as Africa and South America to capture interesting subjects.

He has displayed his work at many area galleries and won numerous awards including Best Landscape Award at the Franklin Grove Harvest Festival, Best of Photography at the Grand Detour Arts Festival, First Place in Digital Photography at The Woodlawn Arts Academy, and Best of Show at the About Face and the Winter Scenes and Holiday Dreams Exhibitions at TNPS.
Picture

Bob Logsdon:

Bob Logsdon is an accomplished landscape photographer, residing in Grand Detour, Illinois. Bob is an extensive traveler who documents his traveling experience in his pictures. It is through photography that Bob introduces the viewer to his endless and challenging imagination

Ellen Mumford, Taft Gallery

As a child I really never had an interest in art. It wasn’t until my junior year in high school that I decided to take an art class due to the fact that I needed an elective course. Here I found my niche and won a summer semester art scholarship at the University of Illinois. During my college years I did not major or minor in art as I would certainly have become a “starving artist." However, I always took an art course.

My career as a civil engineering technician drove me to focus on math causing a conflict that was at odds with my artistic creative processes. So, during those 42 years of highway work I produced very little art, only mainly for my home. While considering future retirement, I decided it was time to “up” my art game. Because I had never considered watercolor, in 2012, on a whim, I enrolled in Graydon Cafarella’s watercolor landscape classes at The Next Picture Show gallery. I LOVED IT! To further my watercolor experience, I also painted with David Becker in Venice, Italy, and then every Thursday (fighting rush hour traffic!) with Dale Popovich of Palette and Chisel Art Academy in Chicago. When possible, I still paint with Dale at Dillman’s Resort in Wisconsin.

My work is eclectic at best but tends toward realism. I am always trying new methods, paints, topics, etc. As a “snowbird” I have recently joined Scott Hiestand’s acrylic wildlife/landscape classes and Gail Bokor’s experimental mixed media/abstract classes. Both are teaching in the Daytona Beach area. My paintings in this gallery exhibit their influence but also Graydon’s and Dale’s.
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I have won many awards for paintings created in all 3 mediums (most recently at TNPS Best of Show Abstract) but have only exhibited locally. Exhibiting at CMAAA is opening a new area of exposure of my art to the masses. I try not to be too philosophical about my art. I paint what I like and what brings me pleasure – and sometimes a challenge. In the words of Georgia O’Keeffe “I have but one desire as a painter - that is to paint what I see, as I see it, in my own way.”

Andrew Raeside, Feature Wall - September 1 - September 30

It hit me in an instant to become an artist at the age of 12. I remember the moment like yesterday. A sudden spiritual rebirth and everything had changed. I have been working on that project ever since.

I attended the University of Northern Iowa and received a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Painting in 1980. I worked with disabled adults for a time in Dubuque IA. Then I relocated to New England where I taught Art and Music in a residential grade school for children with emotional and behavioral disorders now called Spaulding Academy. While working there I attended Plymouth State University and received a Master of Arts in Teaching.

I worked at Spaulding Academy for 27 years until I retired and returned to Dubuque to focus again on painting and become a member of the artist community in Eastern IA. My main focus in the arts has been the Expressionist and Abstract Expressionist approaches.

​ My current objective is to use abstract art to celebrate what connects us all together. The New York School of Abstract expressionists is my primary influence. They spoke about a collective unconscious, a concept held by psychologist Carl Jung. But it is not necessary to believe in anything magical to understand that we are all connected because we all have shared experiences. And we all respond emotionally to our experiences. When we look at a painting, we respond emotionally to what we are seeing. Even if the painting is completely abstract and makes no reference to anything in the physical world. We may not be conscious of our reaction but if we are paying attention, it is there. My wish is to make paintings that celebrate these emotional interconnections between us.